Welcome to the Shire

This truly is hobbit country - it is so stunningly beautiful and you do literally expect one to jump out from behind a tree any minute.

Nik and Ricki were babysitting a friend's dog and house for the weekend so we had the pleasure of staying in the National Trust property that they rent - Pear Tree Cottage.

It's part of the Cotehele Estate which was established here in the 11th or 12th century. It's now a massive estate run by the National Trust with stunning grounds and woods, and many and varied houses.

This is the house on the estate Rick's Nan grew up in when her mother was in service at the big house.

Looking down the Tamar Valley - just north of the viaduct is the border... with Devon. There's a rumour Rick's Nan actually crossed it once - and she's 86!

Festivaaaaaaalllll!!!!

Admission time - I'm a festival virgin. Lucky then I was fortunate enough to be in the company of three seasoned festival-goers as tour guides! The group got progressively bigger as the night wore on.

Suffice to say I LOVED IT and wanted to stay all weekend. This festival is the Port Eliot Festival and is set entirely in the grounds of a small stately, St Germans, which you can see in the background behind a very happy Nik.

Look Rachel, they even have dedicated Pimms stands - soooo civilized!

And Rob here's a bar after your own heart - the Sipsmith Area of Fabulousness. Complete with a very satisfied punter.

The thing I loved the most was the random wacky stuff. These are the Tea Ladies who dress up as old tea ladies - men and women alike - complete with cigarettes dangling from the corner of their mouths, and sell tea from big urns which the trolley around the festival.

My personal favorite is the one minute disco - they career around in a van and randomly screech to a halt, throw open the back doors with music blaring and everyone has a one minute disco.

And then the sun went down. Things get a bit hazy after this... I think I had a really good time.

The Glorious English Summer

A bit of a change from the south of France - oh the English summer!

The good news is that I'm now in Cornwall with Nik and Ricki - yay! This is their caravan which they are currently in the process of renovating in Harrowbarrow, a little village south of Plymouth.

Cornwall is so beautiful - you feel like you're wandering around inside a giant film set for The Hobbit.

This is apparently the oldest working post office in England in Tintagel, home of King Arthur, dating back to the 13th century. Seems like I also managed to capture the village's oldest living resident while I was there...

Les Recontres Arles Photographie

As well as having the opportunity to sample fabulous fare at Osteau, we also went to Arles, the annual photo festival which runs from July-September.

Usually it is tres occupe, but it was very quiet this year as the Tour de France was passing through Montpelier and everyone had hiked off over there instead. Charlize however seemed to be taking a keen interest on what was on offer.

Still, it was nice to wander around sans crowds.  As usual the exhibitions were staged amongst the town's existing buildings including this 12th Century abbey.

It was a grey old day but the clouds and the light on the roof of the abbey were stunning - I love this photo.

And I'd of course forgotten what it's like travelling with Geoff - spending half your life waiting outside les toilettes!! As you can see the French aren't shy about their public conveniences...

Osteau Baumauniere

So I was dragged out of sabbatical to work on Rachael's latest book - although it certainly wasn't any hardship!  Rachael is shooting LUNCH IN PROVENCE, a celebration of Provencal food with recipes provided by award-winning Michelin-starred chef Jean-Andre Charial.  Jean-Andre owns a gorgeous hotel at the foot of the Alpilles in the heart of Provence called Osteau Baumauniere.

Established by his grandfather in 1945, Osteau has entertained kings and queens, artists and celebrities from the Queen Mother, Elizabeth, Phillip and Charles to Princess Grace, and Jean Cocteau to Picasso and Pavarotti.

Osteau is beautiful and includes two hotels - both with their own enormous pools and stunning gardens, two restaurants - both with Michelin stars - and one 'cottage' which is where us plebs stayed. As far as cottages go, this is not difficult to take...

We arrived just in time for lunch and were treated to a gastronomic delight of fine dining.

Jean-Andre loves vegetarian food and cooking - unusual in a fine dining/degustation style chef - but he grows all his own vegetables in an organic garden and makes his own wine from his own organic grapes.  Every single dish is a work of art and unbelievably tastes even better than it looks.

Of course Rachael just kept on working, shooting all of our meals as we ate them.

Here we all are having a really crap time. This photo is the best of the bunch you see here as it was taken by Philippe - the devastatingly charming maitre'd at Osteau -on Rachael's camera and under her supreme direction.

And then we had to do it all over again for dinner... tres terrible... Charlize also seemed to be enjoying her scrambled eggs and raspberries - also thanks to Rack - your daughter is the cutest!

Au revoir Villefranche - je retournerai!

I'm so sad to be leaving this gorgeous little town. After exploring around the area it is definitely the jewel in the crown that is the Cote d'Azur.

I shall miss my gorgeous little atelier and my newfound friends.

I shall miss my little balcony and it's ever changing view of the neighbours (and their washing).

I shall miss the jet trails of the planes as they endlessly criss cross over the French coast on their way to goodness knows where.

I shall miss the swallows as they swoop and dive very evening.

But most of all I shall miss the evening light and hum of village life filtering through my French doors.

But Villefranche have no fear, I shall most definitely be returning to sit on the dock of your bay. A bientot!

And then it was Le Quinze Juillet!

Quarante-trois au jour d'hui! Yet another stunning day dawned bright and clear on the Cote d'Azur - not that I was up to see the dawn in. Being the advanced age that I now am, I need all the beauty sleep I can get.

Today's celebrations consisted of a little explore further around the coast towards Monaco and the discovery of a gorgeous little beach after a long walk down the cliff.

The sightseeing was quite good too - I think I need to work on my drowning technique judging by the resident life guard...

And I found my dream house.

Drinks and dinner on the waterfront at Villefranche topped off a top day.


Joyeux anniversaire à moi!